Prospective Brigg and Goole MP Andrew Percy has played an instrumental role in stopping the abolition of the 120 year old Hull and Goole Port Health Authority which is charged with protecting public, animal and environmental health at the Humber Ports. The future of the Authority was under threat following a Best Value Review which considered abolishing the Authority altogether.

Prospective MP Andrew Percy, who is also Deputy Chairman of the Port Health Authority comments, "I was determined that this 120 year old institution should not simply be swept away because of a Government required review. The Port Health Authority has protected local people living near to the ports and wharves of Goole, Hull and North Lincolnshire for decades from the risks of disease and the environmental hazards which accompany international trade.

I was therefore delighted to be able to move against the proposal to abolish the body and I am especially pleased to have won the support of other parties represented on the board. Goole Labour Councillor Keith Moore deserves special mention for the way he spoke in defence of the Port Health Authority too and it was great to be able to work with Keith on this important issue.

There are other threats to the Port Health Authority's continued existence but I hope that these can also be resolved and that this 120 year old body will be allowed to continue working to protect the public health of those people who live near the Humber ports."

Prospective Brigg and Goole MP Andrew Percy has welcomed the recent involvement of local Labour MPs in the campaign to force a re-think of Government changes to the way businesses operating on the docks in Goole are rated. The reassesments of the way in which non-domestic business rates are applied will leave businesses operating on port land with massive bills back-dated for three years! Local jobs will be put at risk.

Andrew Percy explains: "Both David Davis MP and I have been involved in this issue for some time and have been working closely with the Lib Dem Leader of Hull City Council where businesses operating on the ports have already been revalued, leaving many of them with back-dated bills running into millions. The bills for Goole will be sent out shortly and we are extremely concerned at the impact this could have on local jobs.

"On September 5^th I met with David Cameron MP whilst he was visiting the Brigg and Goole constituency and raised this matter with him too. I also arranged for David to meet with two representatives of the businesses affected and as a result they were able to question him on the matter. David agreed to take up this matter and to help apply as much pressure to the Government as possible in the hope that they will stop the retrospective collection of the rates.

"That is why I now welcome the involvement of local Labour MPs who have now agreed to get involved on this issue too. We all need to work together to encourage the Government to stop this harmful revaluation which could put local businesses and jobs at risk.

"It is really positive that Labour MPs have now woken up to this issue and joined the campaign against this unfairness. They are after all the ones who have a direct line to Government Ministers and so we expect them to deliver a u-turn from the Government."

David Davis MP added: "This announcement could not have come at a worse time for the affected local businesses. Many businesses are already struggling to cope with the economic downturn, increased energy and business costs and they will now be hit with a massive tax bill, back dated for three years. If the Government is so determined to bring these changes in they should have made their intentions clear to businesses well in advance so that they could include them in their future business planning."

Photo: Andrew on a previous visit to the Goole Docks with the Shadow Environment Secretary.